Whats up with Web and Wes?

[Ice32]

With Rambis making some lineup changes recently, we all thought this new role for Wes would be a blessing in disguise. It would seemingly allow him to be more aggressive in the game playing with the 2nd unit and feeling more comfortable. With Beasley out vs. the Wizards and the Magic, Wes got the starting nod at the 3 spot, which is his natural position.

Over the last 5 games, Wes has disappeared. His numbers are:

19 mpg, 30% FG, and 5.2 ppg. He has scored in double digits just once in his last 8 games. He has just as many turnovers as FGs made in the last 2 games. His 3rd quarter performance vs. the Magic today cost him the rest of the game (3 straight TOs in 4 mins).

Webster has been just as average over the last 5 games. His numbers are:

23 mpg, 39% FG, 10 ppg. Apparently he has had a mystery ailment and maybe that explains things. But he has been ineffective since

Both have seen their minutes drop, and Ellington has now played 48 mins in the last 2 games.

If Beasley returns to action vs. the Blazers and Clippers, what happens to Wes and Webster? Does Ellington continue to get minutes?

[shangrila]

Wes just looks lost. He should probably get bumped down to that 10-15 mpg we originally all had for Corey and be brought a long more slowly. Not everyone stars their first season in the league and I think something like that will work better then just feeding him minutes like they did with Jonny.

Webster still looks alright, although he could definitely be better. Keep giving him minutes, maybe a slight reduction, until he gets better.

And if Ellington continues to play well in that 20mpg role then hell yes you keep playing him. It's time to stop sacrificing wins for development; if you have better options they need to be played.

[moss_is_1]

I still think Rambis is doing to Wes what he was doing to Love. Pulling him to teach him instead of having him play through it. Wes looks good at times, but he just needs to be more assertive. His handles aren't great but he can get to the rim with his quickness and threat of being a good shooter..

[Klomp]

4. Looks to me like Wes Johnson might be edging into coach Rambis' doghouse. He started in place of the injured Michael Beasley, but he was yanked from the game early in the third quarter after successive bad-pass turnovers helped Orlando take the game over. He did not play again.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolve ... 30644.html

[Ice32]

I wouldnt say that Wes is in the 'doghouse'...but Rambis has said all season long since training camp: players will have to fight for minutes, and those that play hard, will get them....and right now Wes is not playing well enough to get lengthy minutes. Ellington is now taking this opportunity to show what he can do in a 20 min role. I personally think Brewer has earnt the starting 2 spot, UNLESS Wes turns a corner and starts playing consistently in the next few games. But hes had 41 games to do that, and hes now fighting for minutes. If Beasley is out for the next week, Wes is going to have to play his heart out and do well on both ends of the court.

[Foye]

I wouldnt say that Wes is in the 'doghouse'...but Rambis has said all season long since training camp: players will have to fight for minutes, and those that play hard, will get them....and right now Wes is not playing well enough to get lengthy minutes. Ellington is now taking this opportunity to show what he can do in a 20 min role. I personally think Brewer has earnt the starting 2 spot, UNLESS Wes turns a corner and starts playing consistently in the next few games. But hes had 41 games to do that, and hes now fighting for minutes. If Beasley is out for the next week, Wes is going to have to play his heart out and do well on both ends of the court.

At one point Ellington alone made it from a tied game to a 6 point deficit and after the timeout he was still on the court. That's not what I call fighting for minutes.

[KG_Wolves]

Wes has officially hit the Rookie Wall. Might take a few weeks to pick up the pieces.

[revprodeji]

I do not buy the Rookie Wall thing.

I think Wes has all the tools other than ball handling. He could be a very good defender, a very good finisher, a very good shooter. But there seems to be 2 things happening.

1.) He does not have the drive to be aggressive and use those skills. He is content with coasting it seems.

2.) Our offense does not cut or run of screens properly. As weird as our pinch-post and moving off the low post might be, we do not use basic screens to get guys open. I have mentioned this before with Beasley, but this matters even more with Wes. Rip Hamilton has been a quality mid range scorer for his career without having a great ball handling ability. Run the kid off of screens. We tend to use Wes as a 4th/5th option spotting up. We are not using him properly at all.

[GeorgiaWolf]

I wouldnt say that Wes is in the 'doghouse'...but Rambis has said all season long since training camp: players will have to fight for minutes, and those that play hard, will get them....and right now Wes is not playing well enough to get lengthy minutes. Ellington is now taking this opportunity to show what he can do in a 20 min role. I personally think Brewer has earnt the starting 2 spot, UNLESS Wes turns a corner and starts playing consistently in the next few games. But hes had 41 games to do that, and hes now fighting for minutes. If Beasley is out for the next week, Wes is going to have to play his heart out and do well on both ends of the court.

If this were true then why is Flynn getting pt and Bassy is on the pine? Wes hit the rookie wall he just needs some time and he will begin to play a lot better... I hope...

[Dewey]

Rev:
2.) Our offense does not cut or run of screens properly. As weird as our pinch-post and moving off the low post might be, we do not use basic screens to get guys open. I have mentioned this before with Beasley, but this matters even more with Wes. Rip Hamilton has been a quality mid range scorer for his career without having a great ball handling ability. Run the kid off of screens. We tend to use Wes as a 4th/5th option spotting up. We are not using him properly at all.

I agree ... we are not threat when it comes to our wings cutting off screens ... this makes the need for added athleticism partially irrelevant. Outside of Flynn, it's been my biggest disappointment.

[Yes We Kahn]

I can buy the rookie wall idea. They are going from playing between 30-40 games against college athletes to trying to play 82 against pro athletes. Any time you jump from one level to the next, there is an adjustment period, especially when it comes to the work load.

[revprodeji]

Yes Dewey. Ironic that we go out and get much, much more athletic on the wing and then turn them all into spot up shooters. Even a simplified version of the Utah Flex-P/R would help more.

[horaceworthy]

1.) He does not have the drive to be aggressive and use those skills. He is content with coasting it seems.

I'm not sure it's a lack of drive/coasting. Seems to be as much, if not moreso due to a lack of confidence/willingness to defer to others/not knowing how to translate his talents into effective play.

[revprodeji]

either way, some kind of mental block.

[The J Rocka]

I was going to use the excuse that Wes is best suited at the 3 spot but since Beas has been out, Wes has played there & sucked so it has to be mental.

[revprodeji]

Offensively it is the same thing in our system. Some have said 1-4 is basically the same.

[The J Rocka]

Don't we need a ball handler at least for one of the wings?

We all know Beas can't & Wes can't, we need a handler & go to scorer. All I see Wes doing is sitting in the corner waiting for the open J, and driving to the rim. We need that quicker 2 guard with the handles, quicker, move around the floor, doesn't turn the ball over, that can score off the screen & off the dribble consistently. Hard to explain but it's almost like when you watch Wes he's limited to what he can do.

[shangrila]

I don't think it has much to do with his handles. He does fine dribbling the ball around that high screen they sometimes do with him and Darko. The problem is he usually follows it with a no-look turnover for dribbles it off his foot or some other comedic thing.

[eToasT]

trade them for iggy